Outlook.com Officially Replaces Hotmail, Boasts 60M Users

Outlook.com officially launched Tuesday, marking the demise of its predecessor, Hotmail.

Nearly seven months after unveiling a preview of the email service last July, Microsoft announced the end of its beta run in a blog post.

Microsoft, which acquired Hotmail in 1997, said it will switch users to the new service "soon," but won't force them to change their emails to an "outlook.com" address. It added that all users should expect to see the change take place by this summer.

"Everything from their @hotmail.com email address, password, messages, folders, contacts, rules, vaation replies, etc. will stay the same, with no disruption in service."

The software giant also revealed that over 60 million people are actively using Outlook.com.

To mark the launch, Microsoft kicked off its worldwide marketing campaign with two ads that showcase Outlook's features. One video, below, gives a quick overview of Sweep, a feature that helps users clear out their inbox by mass deleting, moving and archiving messages.

Microsoft said it had been receiving and applying feedback from "early adopters" during Outlook's preview period. "We've used that to add new features and fine-tune the services to scale."

What do you think of Outlook.com? Do you plan to make the switch from Hotmail before this summer? Tell us in the comments, below.

1. Hotmail Becomes Outlook

   This is the new Hotmail, which is now officially called Outlook (it had the label "NewMail" in the preview). Outlook changes the design and layout of Hotmail to bring it more in line with the minimalist design aesthetic of Windows 8 Metro, emphasizing straight lines, thin fonts and white space.

   With no message selected, the only "action" item available is to compose a new message. Also note the text ads to the right of the Inbox.

   

2. The Old Hotmail

   This is what Hotmail looks like today -- what Outlook is evolving from. Although it's gotten many more features in the last few years, Hotmail has had the same overall look for over a decade. It's traditionally generated revenue via display ads, which Microsoft is abandoning with Outlook.

   

3. Message Selected

   When you select a message, you get a suite of action items at the top, and the ads at right will change.

   

4. Pop-Up Ads

   When you mouse over any of the ads at the right, an image pops up.

   

5. Personal Email Selected: Social Integration

   When you select an email that's from another person (as opposed to a newsletter or notification), the ads at right disappear, replaced by links to the person's Facebook and Twitter profiles as well as the person's latest updates.

   

6. Switch Back to Hotmail

   You can switch back to Hotmail at any time. And of course your Hotmail address will continue to work for both sending and replying.

   

7. Compose a Message

   When you compose a message, a list of contacts you email the most often appears, along with their Facebook photos (assuming you've connected the service).

   

8. Windows Messenger

   You can call up a chat Window at any time by clicking the speech balloon at the top. Microsoft also says Skype will be integrated, although it wasn't available during the preview.

   

9. Outlook Plus View

   If you have a Hotmail Plus account, that still works with Outlook, and you won't see any ads, ever. The right side is blank in your regular view, and when you click on a newsletter, you'll simply see the option to search for the sender on Bing.

   

10. Right Side Reading Pane

    As with Hotmail, you can move the reading pane to the right side of the window.

    

Image courtesy of Microsoft; screenshot image courtesy of MSFTOutlook via YouTube